Despite the considerable kidding he has taken about it, Brandon Deering insists it was no perk of being the Manker Patten Tennis Club president and tournament director that got him a playing partnership with Hayley Carter in the revived Chattanooga City Championships.
Carter, a former No. 1-ranked college player and NCAA singles finalist who ended her seven-time All-America career at North Carolina this spring, goes this week to Oklahoma State to begin work as an assistant coach. But today she will play for the city tournament’s women’s open singles and mixed open doubles titles, the latter with Deering.
Carter’s family resides in Chattanooga now – some relatives already lived in the area – and she has worked quite a bit with Manker Patten general manager and director of tennis Ned Caswell.
“It was just a crazy thing,” Deering said Saturday. “She’s in town sporadically, and she was in here one day and I said, ‘If you’re in town, I wish you’d play in this tournament. And if you play with me in mixed I’ll make sure you have a good time. I’m not the level of doubles partner you’re used to, but I promise it will be stress-free.’
“She’s a great girl and sweet as can be, and we’re honored and feel privileged to have her here.”